Dry pens

[Smallpotatoes]

I don't ever recall having as many problems with pens running dry as I have within the last year.
In the fall I brough eight pens to a football game. It was a little cold out, but not too cold, and within two minutes they were all dry.
Yesterday it was somewhat warm out and I still had that problem. Luckily, I also had a pencil on me.
I just took two new ones out of the supply cabinet. They were also dry (and I was using them indoors).
It's getting to the point where I want to write to Bic about this. I've never had this problem as often as I've had it in the last year.
Are pens just more poorly made than in the past?

 

[Write-brained]

Good point. I've thought about this a lot. A new Bic won't last more than two days. I now take half a box with me from the supply closet and will be back within a week.

I suppose you can't fault Bic for producing a cheap option if your newspaper's not willing to pay a little more for something a little more quality.

 

[KG]

My new pens go dry in no time, but today I managed to pull a pen from the glovebox that I know is at least three years old and go figure, it still worked.

 

[Barsuk]

Pilot G2 Gel Ink.

End. Of. Thread.

 

[Write-brained]

I lose pens too often to buy my own.

 

[Angola!]

Pilot G2 Gel Ink.

End. Of. Thread.

These are my favorite pens as well, but they don't work well in the cold. The gel tends to freeze and if it is really hot - like 110 degrees or so - they also don't work very well. Other than that, they are by far my favorite pen.

 

[MadDog2020Terp]

Am I the only one who read this as "Dry penis"?

I've been using the same pen I got at my college paper for a couple years now and no problems. I'm pretty sure it will never run out of ink or dry out.

 

[chazp]

Paper Mate or Pilot. Don't use Bic.

 

[The Rules of Golf]

fine point sharpies...now those are livin'

 

[TwoGloves]

fine point sharpies...now those are livin'

That's all I use anymore. Well worth the extra money.

 

[KG]

I can't write with the gel pens or sharpies. I'm left-handed, so my hand sometimes smears those.

 

[Clever username]

Pilot G2 Gel Ink.

End. Of. Thread.

The vehemence with which people on here push these pens makes me extremely reluctant to even try one, let alone buy one. I have no idea why.

 

[Clever username]

This, by the way, is the only pen I'll use. Until I lose one and have to go the Bics in my desk.

 

[KP]

 

[John]

I milk the pens I get from the Wynfrey Hotel at SEC media days and my various stays at Hampton Inns throughout the South for as many pens as possible. I've still probably got a dozen Hampton Inn Bics in my laptop bag.

When I buy pens, I always go with the Pilot G2 Gel Ink -- it zooms across the page when I'm scribbling quotes during a post-game interview.

And I love the fact that we have a thread on this. There aren't many jobs where this would be a big deal.

 

[StaggerLee]

Gotta be Global Warming doing this to all these pens.

 

[KG]

I milk the pens I get from the Wynfrey Hotel at SEC media days and my various stays at Hampton Inns throughout the South for as many pens as possible. I've still probably got a dozen Hampton Inn Bics in my laptop bag.

When I buy pens, I always go with the Pilot G2 Gel Ink -- it zooms across the page when I'm scribbling quotes during a post-game interview.

And I love the fact that we have a thread on this. There aren't many jobs where this would be a big deal.

Well if you hear of a pen that glides that well yet won't smear when a southpaw uses it, please let me know.

 

[TyWebb]

I made a major shift in my life moving from pens to mechanical pencils about a month ago. I have to tell you, I feel like a kid again. Another year or so, I wouldn't be surprised to see a crayon gracing the metal loops of my reporter's notebook.

 

[Walter Burns]

My days babysitting crime scenes in the freezing cold have always taught me to keep a pencil handy, particularly if I'm outside.
I also find myself using pencil to keep score (I screw up a lot, I guess).
But when I use pens, I stick to the Bics. I keep a bunch of 'em in the ashtray in my car...keeps 'em warm, too.

 

[buckweaver]

Signo Uni-balls. Won't smear for southpaws.